Clifton Veterinarians Offers Tips on How to Protect Your Pet From the Heat this Summer

The heat is on – and when temperatures rise, so does the potential danger for pets. Valley Animal Hospital, your veterinarians serving Clifton, NJ, as well as Montclair and Nutley, offer these guidelines for protecting pets in heat waves.

Potential Dangers of Heatstroke in Clifton

Heatstroke is the number one peril affecting pets in summer and it requires an immediate visit to our animal hospital. Symptoms include excessive panting, glazed look, heavy heartbeat, trouble breathing, thirst, tiredness, fever, poor coordination, vomiting, and ultimately – seizures and unconsciousness.

As the temperatures rise, younger and older pets, overweight pets, and those with heart and respiratory problems are at the highest risk of heatstroke. Short nosed pets, such as pugs, boxers, Boston terriers, and Persian cats are also more susceptible to heat-related problems.

How to Protect Your Pet

When the heat wave strikes, our Clifton veterinarian offers these guidelines:

• Car travel: Never leave your pet in a parked car, not even for a minute or two.

• Exercise: Simply put: limit all rigorous exercise during a heat wave. Instead, opt for quiet walks in the early evening or morning when it’s cooler.

• Shade and water: Pets who are outside need lots of shade and cold water to keep them cool. Even with these precautions, limit the amount of time outdoors when it’s hot.

What to Do if Heatstroke Strikes

If heatstroke strikes, bring your pet to our animal rehabilitation center in Clifton pronto. But in the meantime, get your pet into a shady or air-conditioned area, run cool water over him or her, or cover your pet with cold towels.

If your pet shows any signs of heatstroke, quickly bring him or her to our animal hospital in Clifton, NJ. Our veterinarians have the experience and skill to treat and heal your pet from this potentially life-threatening danger. Questions? Please call and we’ll be happy to help.